Tracking device for automatic musical instruments.



I F.- W. WRIGHT. TRACKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

APPIJCA'I'ION FILED SEPT. 2|. I9III Patented Oct. 30, I917.

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5 M 6 W @A/ 1% UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FLINT W. WRIGHT, OF EAST ROCEZESTER, NEW-I YORK, A SSIG'NOR TO AMERICAN PIANO COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. 551, CGRPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

- Application filed September 21, 1911.

T0 aZZwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLINT VVRIGIIT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of East Rochester, county of Monroe, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Tracking Devices for Automatic Musical Instruments, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters onthe drawingsrepresenting like parts.v

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically insuring the proper tracking of a perforated or, other note sheet over the tracker bar of an automatic player.-

, The character of the invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates diagrammatically one practicable embodiment of theinvention.

In thefdrawings,

Figurel is a diagrammatic representation of r a tracking device and associated parts illustrating the invention, and

Fig. Q-is a detailed viewshowing the approximately correct position of the edge of the note sheet with reference to the controlling Vent of the tracking device.

Referring to the drawing the invention is shown as applied to the tracker and note sheet of a pneumatic instrument. The note sheet'l is wound from a spool 2 on to a takeup roll 3passing over the tracker at which is provided with the usual vents.

I The spool2 is journaled upon a plug 5 providedwith a springG which tends to press the plug 5 and the spool 2, together with the note sheet mounted upon the spool, toward the rights in the drawing until the right hand end of, the spool brings up against certain stop devices presentlydescribed. Normally the action of the spring 6 tends to hold the spool 2 and the note sheet so far toward the right in the drawing that the illustrative perforations of the note sheet are not properly alined with the corresponding; vents of the tracker bar. This normal position is indicated by theperforations shown in full lines in the drawing wherein the perforations are located between adjacent tracker vents instead of in registry with the appropriate vents. These are the positions which the parts assume when the note sheet is first introduced to the instrument; but by means of the automatic ap- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 30, 1917.

SeriaI No. 650,587.

10 having in the movable board thereof an adjustable stop screw 11 by which the extent of the maximum collapse of the pneu maticmay be adjusted.

The pneumatic 10 is controlled byla double acting valve let which alternatively admits atmosphere to the pneumatic through a port 15, or admits suction from a suction chamber 17 connected to any source of exhaust by a duct 18. The valve 14: is controlled as usual by the diaphragm of adiaphragm chamber 20 connected by duct 21 with a vent 2:2 in the tracker. A suitable bleeding vent n3 is interposed between the diaphragm chamber 20 and the suction chamber 17 and through this vent atmosphere entering the tracker vent 22 bleeds into the suction chamber 17.

The vent 22 is so located in the tracker bar that. it is almost but not quite covered by the margin of the sheet when the latter is in proper position for its perforations to aline with the other tracker vents.

It is somewhat preferred that not only the spool 2 be movable in the direction of its axis to adjust the note sheet, but also that the take-up roll 3 be similarly movable so that, the note sheet, in the illustrative instance, shall be insured a symmetrical movement in relation to the tracker bar. To this end, the take-up roll 3 may be mounted for endwise movement as by being provided with a spring tending to move the roll 3 toward the right in the drawing; and the shaft 25 of the take-up roll may be engaged by a bell-crank 2G conveniently operated by an extension 27 of the sticker 9. This illustrative arrangement provides for movement in unison of the spool 2, the take-up roll 3 and the note sheet 1, this exemplifying one practicable manner in which to effect the desired relative movement between the tracker and the note sheet.

The operation of the described illustrative apparatus is as follows: When the note sheet is inserted and preliminarily wound upon the take-up roll 3, the parts occupy the position shown in the drawing, the vent 22 being then uncovered and the perforations in the note sheet being out of alinement with the tracker vents. Under these conditions and before the pumping is started to exhaust from duct 18 and chamber 17,atmosphere is present more or less on both sides of the diaphragm of the chamber 20, substantially balancing the diaphragm and permitting the valve 14 to admit atmosphere to the pneumatic 10, holding the same distended and holding the bellcrank lovers 8 and 26 at the limits of their contra-clockwise movement. When, however, the exhaust is started and the suction chamber 17 is exhausted, the atmosphere entering the tracker vent 22 lifts the diaphragm of the chamber 20, lifts the valve I 14, and admits suction to the pneumatic 10,

thereby collapsing the latter, rocking the bell-cranks clockwise and forcing the spool 2 and take-up roll 3 toward the left in the drawing against the pressure of the springs 6 and 24. This serves to shift the note sheet toward the left until the perforations are properly alined with the tracker vents. The perforations arrive in this proper alinement, when the tracker vent 22 is almost but not quite closed by the margin of the sheet. This almost complete closure of the vent 22 restricts the same until it becomes in effect a bleeding vent which permits atmosphere to bleed into the duct 21 while atmosphere bleeds out of the duct 21 and diaphragm chamber 20 by the bleeding vent between the chamber 20 and the suction chamber 17. Inother words, the bleeding in of atmosphere at the vent 22 is substantially compensated by the bleeding out of atmosphere from the diaphragm chamber 20 and thus a. balanced relation of the parts is secured. lVhile this balance is maintained the valve 14: may occupy an intermediate position such that there is a slight bleeding from the pneumatic 10 suflicient to hold it in balanced position, thereby maintaining the perforations of the note sheet in proper alinement with the tracker vent.

If this balanced relation be disturbed fo example, by the note sheet increasing the opening of the vent 22the atmosphere will be admitted to diaphragm chamber 20 more rapidly than it will be bled therefrom, and the valve 14 will be lifted farther so as to admit greater exhaust to the pneumatic 10 and move the note sheet back toward the left. If, on the other hand, the vent 22 be completely closed by the note sheet, then the valve 14 will drop, admitting atmosphere to the pneumatic 10, rockin the'bell-crank lever B contra-clockwise an permitting the spring 6 to move the spool and note sheet toward the right to reopen the vent 22 to an extent necessary to restore the balanced conditions.

The adjusting screw 11 is preferred to be used to prevent the note sheet being moved too far toward the left as might occur if the edge of the note sheet was so torn or mutilated as to leave the vent 22 two extensively open, tending to move the note sheet so far toward the left as to destro the alinement of the perforations after 11: has once been instituted.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these specific details of construction, organization and mode of operation which have been described above, for illustration; on the contrary, as will ap, pear to those skilled in the art, the illustrative apparatus may be variously modified and the invention may be applied various different types of apparatus.

Claims.

1. An apparatus for controlling the playing of an automatic musical instrument,

comprising, in combination, a stationary tracker; a perforated note sheet; a spool from which the note sheet is unwound; a take-up roll upon which the note sheet is wound; yielding means acting upon the spool and take-up roll, and tending to move the note sheet out of proper alinement with the tracker; a "ent in the tracker positioned to be nearly but not entirel closed. by the note sheet when the same is in proper alinement with the tracker; and means controlled by said vent for moving the note sheet into proper alinement in opposition to said yielding means.

2. An apparatus for controlling the playing of an automatic musical instrument,

comprising, in combination, a stationa tracker; a note sheet; a Spool from whi the note sheet is unwound; a take-up roll upon which the note sheet is wound; yielding means tending to move the spool and take-up roll in one direction to displace the note sheet from proper alinement with the tracker; a pneumatic arranged to move the same in the opposite direction in opposition to said yielding means; a vent in the tracker positioned to be nearly but not entirely closed by the margin of the note sheet when the latter is properly alined with the tracker; and a valve controlled by said vent for governing the operation of said pneumatic.

3. An apparatus for controlling the play.- ing of an automatic musical instrument, comprising in combination, a tracker pro; vided with tracker vents; a note-sheet pro.- vided with note playing perforations; means to move the note-sheet over the tracker; means including a spring acting directly upon the music roll spool and tending cozy stantly relatively to move the entire notesheet and tracker to bring the perforations of the note-sheet and the corresponding vents of'the tracker out of alinement; and means controlled by a single tracker vent constantly active during the operation of the note-sheet to hold the latter and the tracker relatively so as to maintain the per forations of the tracker in proper alinement.

4:. An apparatus for controlling the playing of an automatic musical instrument, comprising in combination, a tracker provided With vents; a note-sheet provided With note playing perforations; means for mova ing the note-sheet over the tracker; means including a spring acting directly upon the music sheet spool and a spring acting directly upon the take-up roll and operative when the note-sheet is first inserted in the apparatus, to hold the perforations thereof 20 and the corresponding vents of the tracker out of proper alinement; and automatic means relatively to move the entire notesheet and tracker to bring the perforations of the note-sheet and the corresponding FLINT W. WVRIGHT.

Witnesses Crms. A. KAssELL, WV. l/V. BOWEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

